growing butternut squash

[newbiemum05]

I saved the seeds from an organic butternut squash we had for tea and want to have a go at growing them but can anyone tell me when, how, where to plant them ??
I'm afraid I'm a bit of a back of the seed packet veg grower and as these came without instructions I'm a bit lost LOL

Thanks everyone !

[ina]

Don't want to put you off - but I've never been successful with butternut squash... I think they need it quite warm, and a bit of sun (which we didn't exactly have last year!).

Anyway, seeing that the seeds didn't cost you anything, it's worth having a go - maybe we even get some real summer this year.

I would start them off in pots - I use loo rolls for the seedlings - about March. Warmish, but not too warm - you don't want them shooting off too soon! Plant them up when they are a decent size - the first two real leaves there - into 10 or 12 cm pots or thereabouts (the large yoghurt pots should do it).

Don't plant them out before late May/June - unless you have a greenhouse or polytunnel! Give them plenty of compost and/or muck. I planted my pumpkins and courgettes on a reasonably well rotted muck heap or compost heap, gave each of the plants a tyre for shelter, and the most delicate one even a glass cover at first... They grew well, but in the end we had too much rain and not enough sun. You could help them along with a cover of fleece, too.

[Annpan]

I tried them last year too, but even though thery were very strong, healthy seedlings they didn't survive in the ground... I think a reall sunny sheltered spot might do them nicely - and lots of people plant them on old compost heaps or in a pile of rotting manure , you could try that.

[QuakerBear]

I think.... Mr. QB did one a couple of years ago, and got a squash. It was in Oxfordshire, clay soil, long hot summer and it was treated like a marrow. It was also planted with allot of marrows and pumpkins on the same patch.

Best of luck, let us know if it works.

[Green Rosie]

Mine did really well 2 years ago (when I was in Dartford) - I treated them like all my squashes/courgettes etc - started them in pots and planted them out once all danger of frost had passed. Plant them in some really well manured soil in a sunny spot and give them lots of water.

I got some that were full sized, ripened and kept well in a frost free shed. Some smaller ones didn't ripen so I just used them straight away.

Beware though - they are ramblers and gallop all oer the veg patch

Oh - and just thought - they are very promiscuous so you may not get a true butternut squash if there were any marrows, pumpkins, other squashes etc in the locality.

[theabsinthefairy]

We planted some of ours in amongs marrows and pumpkins and got roundish elongated squash - which tasted great and kept really well, we still have a couple yet to eat. These were all started in toilet rolls and then straight into the ground when they had four leaves apiece.

We also planted a few seeds straight into the muck pile and they rampaged through the hedgerow and around the compost heap, in the end there were too many, and it got quite wet and they started to mush before fully grown, so those I let the chickens scavange, and fed some to the pigs too - they loved them as well.

The copious amounts of rain did not seem to bother them too much, although here, we are quite high up and on a slightly inclined gentle valley, so drainage is good.

[maggienetball]

I saved the seeds from bought squashes and planted them out last year.

If you have a slug/snail problem it's a really good idea to keep them in large pots until they are really mature and starting to produce runners, before planting out, because they get wiped out really easily. When they're older the leaves are very hairy and aren't as appetising.

They do like warmth but will grow in any conditions as long as there isn't frost. If you want a really good chance at a good crop, either pile loads of well rotted manure or compost on your ground and plant straight into that, or plant straight into the compost heap. The ground heat from either of those methods will give them a real boost and they can't get enough of muck!

I had a strange thng happen as a result of planting saved seeds, all of my squashes were seedless!!! I've never seen it before and although I posted a question here, no one could answer me. They were certainly ripe and very delicious though.

Have a go, you've got nothing to lose.

[maggienetball]

Also, I forgot to mention, when planting the seeds initially, pop them into compost on their sides (thin side up). You greatly reduce the chance of them rotting in the pot and not germinating that way.

[Millymollymandy]

What a coincidence - I am making butternut soup because there is freezing fog outside and I need to do something!

Mine were self-seeded ones last year and they grew well but the fruit were all small. I don't know whether that was because of the cool rainy weather or because they were self seeded ones. They did have some seeds inside but not many.

[MrsD'ville]

I've just planted out my seedlings, which grew from seeds in a squash I'd bought. The seedlings are very healthy and strong, and so far have survived several nights outside. They're on a well-drained full-sun south-facing veg patch, so fingers crossed.

Squash soup sounds wonderful, could just eat that right now!

[JR]

I did read once that seeds from Squashes were no good to be planted. Mind you you never know if the seed companies start that sort of rumour, I would be interested to know how they do.

I have about 10 plants on the go but the are not very big yet. They seem a bit slow. The caugettes on the other hand are huge already. I am going to plant them in next weekend they have been outside in pots for the last fews days. The Atlantic giant pumpkins are also getting too big for the pots they are in.


I love this time of year!!

[hamster]

I'm growing butternut squash from seeds from the one I bought at the farmer's market, so I shall keep you updated on my progress as well.

[MKG]

Seeds from F1 Hybrid veggies (bigger and fatter and juicier, but sterile)won't grow (or is that won't grow true to type?). Anything else will as long as it hasn't been treated to prevent it - but it's difficult to see how anyone could do that with an internal set of squash seeds short of intense irradiation, and they'd have to tell you about that.

[MrsD'ville]

they'd have to tell you about that.

Well, we hope so!

[JR]

Seeds from F1 Hybrid veggies (bigger and fatter and juicier, but sterile)won't grow (or is that won't grow true to type?). Anything else will as long as it hasn't been treated to prevent it - but it's difficult to see how anyone could do that with an internal set of squash seeds short of intense irradiation, and they'd have to tell you about that.

I think in fact that is what I read "they won't grow true to type". I think it went on to say that the plants probably wont fruit.

I have some Hunters in this year, the seeds came from Marshalls, so I will save a few and next year test the theory.

Mine are doing much better over the last few days, we now have more than seed leaves and around 10 out of 15 germinated. Will also keep you posted.